Can MC250 be setup for bi-amp ?

[thornev]

I want to bi-amp 2 speakers (Acoustic Research AR-2AX) that contain an internal passive crossover and speaker posts for LO (woofer) and HI (mid and tweeter). I'm thinking for each speaker I can use the barrier strip COM for both the LO and the HI, and for the LO and HI "+" leads I would use the barrier strip 8ohm and the 4ohm or 16ohm. The speakers are 8ohm, but when run in bi-amp mode, I'm not sure what the impedances are for the HI and the LO.

Does this make sense, or am I asking for trouble? Thanks, Thorne

 

[mkane]

Don't you need two power amps to bi-amp?

 

[62caddy]

Unless indicated otherwise, the impedance of the two sections should be the same 8 ohms. In any case, the proposed arrangement is bi-wiring, the advantages of which are nebulous, at best.

 

[4-2-7]

I want to bi-amp 2 speakers (Acoustic Research AR-2AX) that contain an internal passive crossover and speaker posts for LO (woofer) and HI (mid and tweeter). I'm thinking for each speaker I can use the barrier strip COM for both the LO and the HI, and for the LO and HI "+" leads I would use the barrier strip 8ohm and the 4ohm or 16ohm. The speakers are 8ohm, but when run in bi-amp mode, I'm not sure what the impedances are for the HI and the LO.

Does this make sense, or am I asking for trouble? Thanks, Thorne

I'm pretty sure your talking about bi-wiring not bi-amping

Yes you can bi-wier your speakers with this amp (4 wires going from the amp to 4 binding post on the speakers.

You will use the same common for the two wires for that receptive channel, ie: left or right speaker.

You can use the same ohm tap for both the HI and Low or you can try a mix of taps. For instance you can try the 8ohm tap for the Low, and then use the 4ohm on the Hi. Depending on what the drivers are rated at this might fine tune a sound quality you like.

 

[62caddy]

Using different taps will result in different voltages appearing at each "leg" (assuming they are the same impedance) resulting in uneven response.

I would certainly think it would be clearly marked on the speaker terminal panel if any impedance variation resulted from the removal of the jumpers.

 

[thornev]

Thank you for all the responses. I was thinking that since the MC250 is physically 2 power amps (at least that's what the user manual led me to believe), I thought bi-AMP'ing is possible. I just would need to figure out how to get 2 "+" leads from the L and R barrier strips. What 4-2-7 suggested is what I was thinking. That's not bi-AMP'ing I guess, eh? That's bi-WIRE'ing?

 

[62caddy]

Thank you for all the responses. I was thinking that since the MC250 is physically 2 power amps (at least that's what the user manual led me to believe), I thought bi-AMP'ing is possible. I just would need to figure out how to get 2 "+" leads from the L and R barrier strips. What 4-2-7 suggested is what I was thinking. That's not bi-AMP'ing I guess, eh? That's bi-WIRE'ing?

Electrically it is the same thing and in my humble opinion, it is a needless complication carrying no audible benefit.

 

[thornev]

Yeah that's right. Since regardless of which barrier strip lugs I use, it's the same signal from the same amp going to both the HI and LO speakers, there's no advantage. OK, thanks again for everyone's feedback. Thorne